Paleo Beef Burgundy Stew

To paint a clear picture and begin with the end in mind, when this dish was served in my home, jaws dropped and words like, “this is the best thing you’ve ever made,” were uttered.

Once upon a time, I was craving beef stew. I expressed this to my culinary genius of a mother and she recommended Beef Burgundy (or, Beef Bourguignon).

Because “stew” sounds like a grand injustice for this flavor & soul-filled dish, it has the fancy name of Beef Burgundy. I’m typically more of a simpleton and don’t abide by fancy names; but this one fits.

Beef Burgundy is a classic French recipe for stew that got its start as a peasant’s dish. It involves beef braised in red wine, flavored with lots of garlic, pearl onions, and mushrooms.

I made a promise to a new friend from Eat. Drink. Om. to start posting cast iron-friendly recipes. Here you go! This dish is perfect for a large cast iron pot or for that large Le Creuset pot you got from your wedding registry that you probably rarely use.

Although there are quite a few steps involved, don’t be intimidated. This recipe is simple, straightforward, and oh-my-goodness-mind-blowingly delicious. You may find it difficult to not gobble up the entire pot.

To help take some of the pressure off, I have provided a LOT of photos to help document each step in the process of making Beef Burgundy.

As the traditional recipe calls for some flour, we used Almond Meal to avoid too much paleo-clashing.

I recommend you grab a decent bottle of Merlot for braising. My rule of thumb, as it was drilled into me at a young age, never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink out of a glass. I chose a beautiful Messina Hof Merlot for this exquisite “stew.”

Come home during lunch to prepare this dish and leave it in the oven during the afternoon. By the time you come home in the evening, your whole house will smell absolutely divine. Pour yourself a glass of that Merlot and start dining.

Need something to listen to while you cook? Allow me to make a recommendation. My current favorite kitchen album is House With No Home by the Horse Feathers. If I were you, I’d start with the song, “This is What.” Enjoy, my friends.

Paleo Beef Burgundy Stew

Approximate Nutrition Facts:

Serving size: ~2 cups

Makes 20 GENEROUS Servings (good for leftovers)

511 Calories; 20 g Fat; 71 g Protein; 0.2 g Sugar

Ingredients:

4 lbs Beef Roast (cut into approx. 1” cubes)

1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 cups Button Mushrooms (cleaned and quartered)

½ lb Bacon (sliced into 1” strips)

1 Medium White Onion (chopped)

4 Garlic Cloves (minced)

½ cup Almond Meal

4 cups Beef Broth

1 Bottle of a Decent Merlot

2 cups Pearl Onions

2 Bay Leaves

4 sprigs Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley

6 sprigs Fresh Thyme

6” Kitchen Twine

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

On high heat, pour the olive oil in a large cast iron, Le Creuset, or stew pot.

One handful at a time, cook the beef cubes just until they’re brown. They do not need to be completely cooked through – only browned on the outside.

Spoon out cooked beef and rotate in raw until you’ve gone through all 2 lbs.

Set the cooked beef aside in a large bowl for use later.

Once all the beef is out of the pot, add your mushrooms.

Stir until they’ve reduced in size and are browned.

Remove the cooked mushrooms into the same bowl as the beef.

Once your pot is empty again, add the bacon and cook until crispy.

Remove the bacon into the same bowl as the beef and mushrooms.

With a ladle, carefully remove about half of the bacon grease and discard.

Add the chopped white onion to the pot and stir until they’re browned.

Add the garlic and stir for another minute.

Add the almond meal and about ½ cup of beef broth.

With a whisk, stir the almond meal, broth, onions, and garlic together until the form a consistent paste.

Hi Matthew! Yes, I believe it can. I recommend you follow all the browning steps, making the roux, and deglazing the pan as listed. You can then transfer all the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on high for 7-8 hours. You won’t get the exact same flavors as with baking in the same browning dish, but it can come close. I hope that helps and that you enjoy it! Let me know how it goes!

Great catch, Vanessa! The recipe calls for 4 pounds (you’ll be able to feed an army). I’ll update the recipe as soon as possible. Thanks so much for the note and I hope you like the dish! I would love your feedback after you give it a try 🙂 Best wishes!